Paul Pogba is missing from Manchester United starting eleven with
Fellaini coming in in his stead. Wayne Rooney returns to Old Trafford.
Full teams
Manchester United De Gea; Valencia, Jones, Bailly, Young; Matić,
Fellaini; Mata, Mkhitaryan, Rashford; Lukaku.
Subs: Martial, Smalling, Lingard, Carrick, Romero, Herrera, Darmian
Everton Pickford; Martina, Keane, Williams, Jagielka, Baines;
Schneiderlin, Gueye; Davies, Sigurdsson, Rooney.
Subs: Ramírez, Mirallas, Klaassen, Besic, Stekelenburg, Calvert-Lewin, Holgate
Sunday, 17 September 2017
Chelsea vs Arsenal teams: Hazard and Alexis on the bench, Ozil missing
meeting between both teams this season.
Its the third league meeting between both managers and their fifth
meeting in all competitions.
Both managers have reverted to their traditional starting eleven after
making a host of changes for European games in midweek.
Full teams.
Courtois, Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill, Alonso, Moses, Willian, Kane,
Pedro, Fabregas, Morata,
Subs: Caballero, Zappacosta, Rudiger, Bakayoko, Hazard, Batshuayi, Christensen
Arsenal
Cech, Koscielny, Mustafi, Monreal, Bellerin, Xhaka, Ramsey, Kolasinac,
Iwobi, Welbeck, Lacazette.
Subs: Ospina, Mertesacker, Alexis, Elneny, Maitland-Niles, Walcott, Giroud
Saturday, 16 September 2017
Which Arsenal would turn up at Chelsea?
While the Premier League champions have decisively recovered from
their opening day defeat to Burnley to post four wins in a row in both
the league and Champions League.
Arsenal have not fully convinced this season. The gunners have won two
matches against Bournemouth and Cologne after the international break.
This followed the double reverse against Stoke City and Liverpool
where they conceded five goals without scoring. They dominated
possession and created chances against Stoke, but they failed to turn
up against Liverpool.
However, the real test of their two game recovery would come at
Stamford Bridge. A place that has not been a happy hunting ground in
recent season.
This is the second meeting between both sides after they played out a
1-1 draw in the Community Shield in August which Arsenal eventually
won on penalties.
The meetings between both sides last season saw Arsenal triumphed 3-0
at the Emirates and lost 3-1 at Stamford Bridge. While they won 2-1 in
the FA Cup in May.
While you know what to expect from Antonio Conte's Chelsea, that
cannot be said of Arsene Wenger's Arsenal.
Chelsea under Conte if the defeat to Burnley is taken out of the
picture have been solid ever since with wins against Tottenham,
Everton and Leicester City, where they scored seven goals and let in
two goals. But it was the way they defeated Tottenham that immediately
banished any memory of the opening day defeat to Burnley where they
were slack in defence. Since that match, they have been back to their
solid and organised best at the back.
The uncertainty about Arsenal is well documented. This is best summed
up by Antonio Conte's statement on Friday while he spoke to the media,
that "anything can happen when you play Arsenal."
This best describe the current Arsenal side. They could produce a
performance on the day that is reminiscent of the Wembley display
against Chelsea in May. Or they could as well opt for a lethargic
display like the non-performance against Liverpool at Anfield.
It is this unpredictability from Arsenal's current team that gives the
tie an extra edge.
Both teams rested a host of players in midweek European games. Chelsea
found their tie against Qarabag relatively easy with a 6-0. While
Arsenal overturned a poor first half display to beat Cologne 3-1 on
Thursday in the Europa League.
The Premier League champions starts the match as favourite going by
their recent display especially the way new signings Alvaro Morata and
Tiemoue Bakayoko have settled in. Antonio Rudiger have been solid in
Gary Cahill's absence while he served his three match suspension.
While Chelsea have a solid 3-4-3 formation which doesn't change in
game irrespective of the scoreline, Arsene Wenger have lurched between
his traditional 4-3-3 to 3-4-3. The Frenchman have been quick to
switch to a back four once his team are behind in a match. It has
worked in home matches this season. But whether he starts with a back
three or four at Chelsea remains to be seen.
Arsenal's record against the top six last season makes for grim
reading. LDLDLDDDLLLLL. And already this season, they started with a
big defeat to Liverpool. It would take a huge performance to get a
result at Stamford Bridge. A place they last won in 2011.
Friday, 15 September 2017
Jose Mourinho: Paul Pogba will be missed
the media on Friday ahead of Manchester United's game against Everton
on Sunday.
France international midfielder Paul Pogba limped off against Basel in
the Champions League on Tuesday with what was a hamstring injury.
The 24 year old is expected to be out for up a month, and Mourinho has
been quick to say that his absence would be a miss to the club.
Asked about Pogba, he had this to say.
"I don't know. Out for the weekend match, only one I am thinking
about. He [Pogba] is not playing this weekend. I don't know if same
one or other leg (as last season)."
"We have players waiting for an opportunity. We have started the
season really well, with one match a week. No need for changes. But
there are good players more than ready.
"We miss Pogba, we need him. But Herrera, Fellaini and Carrick are
waiting for a real chance. They are ready. We lost players during
crucial moments of the season. We didn't cry about that. We have to
cope. We will be without Pogba for a few matches but we have other
players to play."
While Pogba is entering a period where he would be out for sometime.
There is goodnews on the injury front for Manchester United, with Luke
Shaw now fit, but lacking match fitness.
"Luke Shaw is not injured any more. It is a question of form and
options. Not injured. Marcos Rojo is still in the timings after such
an important injury, everything went well. But he is not training with
the group in a normal session. He still has a couple of months."
Antonio Conte: Anything can happen against Arsenal
League. Ahead of the tie, Antonio Conte spoke to the media.
The Premier League champions have since overcome a opening day defeat
to Burnley to win four matches in a row, including Tuesday's 6-0 win
over Qarabag in the Champions League.
With Arsenal the visitors at the Bridge on Sunday, the Italian had the
time to assess the title credentials of a team they would be meeting
for the second time in a month after the Community Shield showdown
between both clubs in August.
Despite the gunners indifferent start to the season which has seen
them suffer consecutive away defeats to Stoke and Liverpool, Antonio
Conte still believes they remain strong contenders for the title, and
their unpredictable nature means anything can happen when playing
against them.
"I think that Arsenal is one of the six top teams in England and I
think that they have a really good squad and want to fight for
something important. For this reason, I think it is a massive game for
us. When you play against Arsenal it is the same as when you play
against City, Liverpool, United or Tottenham.
"Anything can happen. We are to fight. We have to play a game against a rival.
"Arsenal are a big rival for the title. I don't understand why they
can't fight for the title."
The Stamford Bridge haven't been a happy hunting ground for Arsenal in
recent seasons. Having failed to secure a win there since a 5-3 win in
2011.
With Arsenal's poor record away from home, it should provide an
exciting spectacle on Sunday.
Thursday, 14 September 2017
Wenger: There is no hierarchy in the Arsenal squad
side Cologne.
In a match that was delayed for one hour due to crowd safety issues as
a result of the number of Cologne fans that descended on the Emirates
Stadium, the Gunners came from behind with second half goals from Sead
Kolasinac, Alexis Sanchez and Hector Bellerin making up for a poor
first half display.
Arsene Wenger made nine changes to his line up. With seven of the
players that featured against Bournemouth not part of the matchday
squad.
The Frenchman praised his squad for their second half display on the
night and asserted that there is no hierarchy in the squad as was
reflected by the number of changes he made for the match.
"We had a slow start and there was an accidental goal. After that it
was important not to concede and panic and put more pace into our
game. From then. we controlled the game and won convincingly in the
end. He told BT Sport.
"I think Sanchez is still running after his best form. He is a
fantastic football player but physically he has just come back. But he
has it in his locker to do something special, which he did.
"We want to do well in all the best competitions and I had an
experienced team today, even though I made nine changes. They are all
top class players, there is no hierarchy in the squad."
Arsenal are at Stamford Bridge on Sunday to face Chelsea in what is
expected to be a tough examination of the club's new found form.
Arsenal in the Europa League: Alexis part of nine changes
League for the first time in its present format after missing out on
the familiar terrain of the Champions League for the first time in 20
years.
The Gunners' opponent for tonight's match at the Emirates is
Bundesliga side Cologne who are making their first European appearance
in 25 years.
Arsene Wenger has gone with a much changed line up to the one that
featured in the league win over Bournemouth last weekend. With Nine
changes made.
Full teams:
Arsenal
David Ospina, Per Mertesacker, Rob Holding, Nacho Monreal, Hector
Bellerin, Maitland-Niles, Iwobi, Elneny, Theo Walcott, Alexis Sanchez,
Oliver Giroud
Subs: Macey, Wilshere, Mustafi, The Jeff, Kolasinac, Akpom, Nelson
Cologne:
Horn, Heintz, Hoger, Zoller, Hector, Cordoba, Bittencourt, Mere,
Klunter, Lehmann, Rausch
Subs: Kessler, Sorensen, Risse, Jojic, Osako, Guirassy, Horn
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